Richmond, VA—In order to be successful in March it is no secret teams need their go to players to step up. With the intensity level raised and post season bids on the line it is essential that players who have late season experience come to the forefront.

         
 Thomas, who became the seventh player in school history to average a double-double on the season as he averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds, got the ball on the Patriots first four possessions of the game. Those touches resulted in a jump shot, a free throw and a dunk to give the Patriots a 5-0 lead.

 Thomas also made several key baskets in the second half with the Patriots offense struggling. He ended a two minute scoring drought early in the second half with a layup that pushed the Patriots lead to 14. After the Huskies cut the lead to seven with 12:28 left, Thomas made two free throws a minute later to push George Mason’s lead to 43-34.

 Thomas faces double and triple teams almost every night, and that was no different again last night, and as he has his entire career, Thomas was able to find a way to get around the double and triple teams to carry his team to a victory.

 “We’ve just got to give him the ball,” said Campbell. “He’s the best player on this team and how he goes we go.”

Campbell contributions last night should not go unnoticed either. Campbell broke an early 11-11 tie with a baseline layup then gave Mason a late 11 point first half lead with another baseline layup.

 Campbell’s biggest contributions, however, came late in the game. Campbell made 7 of 8 free throws in the game’s final minute to seal the victory.

 "I’m a senior. I want the ball in my hands,” said Campbell.

 Campbell came into the tournament on the biggest tear of his career. In the Patriots final 14 games of the regular season Campbell averaged 20.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

 Those numbers did not waver last night as Campbell finished with 20 points, five rebounds and three assists. But, it was his late game calmness that helped the Patriots prevail and it is what they will need to win the tournament and make their second NCAA tournament appearance of he and Thomas’s career.

Contributions were made by other players as well. Freshman Cam Long grabbed six rebounds in 26 minutes of play off the bench. Louis Birdsong scored eight points, snagged five rebounds and had two blocks, including a thunderous stuff with 9:39 left in the game on the Huskies Chris Alvarez on a layup attempt that sent the ball flying out of bounds. Birdsong again brought the Patriots faithful to their feet a minute and a half later.

 Thomas, fighting through a triple team, found Birdsong alone in the paint. Birdsong took the pass, and with his right hand slammed the basket ball through the net over the Huskies Manny Adako. The play energized Birdsong’s teammates as well as Long jumped up and down and pumped his fist while looking at Adako.

The road to the title game gets no easier for the Patriots as they will play the University of North Carolina-Wilmington Sunday afternoon in the semifinals. The Seahawks earned a pair of victory’s over the Patriots in the regular season, including a 75-73 win on Feb. 16 at Patriot Center. Wilmington senior guard TJ Carter banked a layup off the glass as time expired to give the Seahawks the win. It was also the only home loss for George Mason all season.

                The Patriots know Sunday’s  task won’t be easy, but you can bet Campbell and Thomas will do what they can to carry their teammates to Monday night.